For those of you just tuning in, look at last weeks post, to catch up.

When Kris decided to redo her bathroom, I didn't take her seriously, seeing nothing wrong with what she already had.

(since I had been the one to design it.)

(and as we all know, my designs are timeless.)

(and wonderful)

(and stand the test of time.)

WELL

her shower didn't.

stand the test of time, that is.

It leaked.

Down to her new kitchen ceiling.

Kris was not amused.

I would like to point out that I had nothing to do with the labor of the first renovation.

(luckily)

Sooooooooo.......

this inspired her,

now that her kids were grown,

flown the coop,

left the nest,

cut the apron strings (we can only wish),

to redo the bathroom in Kris's idea of a fancy schmancy grownup loo.

I started to take the idea seriously several years ago when we came across this server in a local auction.

Nice quality image?

Only the best for you guys!

Let's see if I can do better.

It was French marquetry.

mar·que·try

ˈmärkətrē/

noun

inlaid work made from small pieces of variously colored wood or other materials, used chiefly for the decoration of furniture.

The top was a warm toned piece of marble that we matched when we chose the marble tiles in the bathroom.

So now you know why we chose the marble that we did!!!!!!

Kris stored the server in her basement for a million years, until we were ready to redo her bathroom.

Then we started to choose what else we would need in the space, as well as take the server to the furniture doctor who turned an affordable piece into an expensive piece!!!

He replaced all the missing marquetry, and refinished it in a low luster lacquer that could hold up to the moister in a bathroom.

Here is a shot of it in the basement before it was fixed.

We had the extra ormolu pieces inside the drawers.

or·mo·lu

ˈôrməˌlo͞o/

noun

a gold-colored alloy of copper, zinc, and sometimes tin, cast into desired shapes and often gilded, used especially in the 18th century for decorating furniture and making ornaments.

I had to find a mirror to go with the glamorous look of the room as well as fit inside the space.

I decided on a Louis Phillippe mirror, as I love the look and style of these babies.

They are elegant without being fussy.

I rely on 1stdibs a lot, as it can supply me with very specific items when I am designing for a very specific look.

What could take me years to find, I can find in a day, as it represents the best of antique stores across the country.

I drew an elevation of the vanity, mirror and sconces so that I would be sure that what we chose would fit.

I never understood how decorators could design without drawing out what they were doing.

After we (I) found the mirror, I attacked the problem of finding sconces that would work with this room.

I looked at lots.

I looked at these.....

I looked at these.....

I looked at these.....,

AND THEN I FOUND THESE!!!!!

They will go great with the server.

Kris admitted to me that she always wanted a chandelier in her bathroom.

I was taken aback.

I was somewhat horrified to realize that my best friend was

one of those people!!!!!

But because I love her to bits,

I found her one.

There was no place to put it in the main part of the bathroom,

but it fits perfectly in the throne room,

commonly referred to by the unwashed masses as the toilet room.

(see what I did there????

Unwashed masses???

This is a story about a bathroom!!!!

I am funny!!!!)

It will be seen from the hall doorway looking into the room, as it will be centered on the toilet room door.

It's little, so it fits the scale of the room.

Kris wanted crystal, and I found her crystal. We love the barrel beads on the chains

It works with the pair of sconces.

This is why I wanted the wallpaper we found.

The slight gold in the pattern, picks up the gold leaf of the mirror and ormolu, as well as working nicely with the warm tones of the wood.

Last week we were able to install the vanity.

Below is the placement against the wall.

Then they hung the mirror!!!!!!!!!!

Then they placed the marble!!!!!!!

You can now see and I hope understand, why we chose the tile that we did.

Kris and I had taken the slab to a local marble vendor and had the hole cut in it.

Our furniture restorer reworked the cabinet to fit around the sink and plumbing.

The wood glows and is so beautiful.

That's as far as we have gotten.

Kris has been rambling in Cornwall, and will be back tomorrow, so I expect the bathroom work will continue this week.

We need to do the electrical and plumbing finish, then the shower enclosure..... and then add the shutters on the lower parts of the windows so no one can look in on my buddy while she is sans clothes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME !!!! One of my very favorite emails ..... something from Betsy Speert... was waiting for me on my birthday ! You made my day !!! This is going to be an amazing bathroom. Thank you for sharing Betsy.

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My Fabric Line!!!!! How Cool Is That???

I've been a designer for longer than some of you have been alive. I have now started a new page of my career, closing my firm and designing furniture, as well as writing decorating books. Some of you may be familiar with my work over the years by seeing me in magazines. I tend to think that I'm funny, so please read my postings with a grain of salt thrown in for flavor. My spelling is atrocious, so I am refusing any responsibility for spell check right here and now. I hope anyone reading this will enjoy the pictures, info and humor.